* Amazon ( AMZN ) to end support for Kindles made in 2012 or

earlier starting May 20

* Longtime users criticize move, citing device durability

and loss of physical buttons

* Some are buying multiple e-books now to keep old

Kindles usable

By Greg Bensinger

SAN FRANCISCO, May 19 (Reuters) - For Claudia Buonocore,

the thought of parting ways with her 15-year-old Kindle Touch

e-reader is painful.

"I've never felt the desire to have another device," said

the 39-year-old Pittsburgh area resident. "It's a part of me, a

lifesaver, I fall asleep with it almost every night."

But Buonocore and other Kindle users face an unwelcome

change. Amazon ( AMZN ) last month said it would end support for

e-readers released in 2012 and earlier, preventing users from

downloading new books or receiving software updates after May

20.

"It's just a complete betrayal of customers," said

Buonocore.

Amazon ( AMZN ) will continue to support newer devices and has offered a

20% discount on recent models, priced from $110 to $680m, and

$20 in e-book credits. But many Kindle loyalists are not ready

to turn the page on their beloved gadgets.

Brian Oelberg has been loading up his 2010-era Kindle Keyboard

with e-books since learning of Amazon's ( AMZN ) plans, and estimates he

now has about 250 titles. He plans to switch off the device's

WiFi starting Wednesday to keep it safe from any software

updates that wipe it clean.

Oelberg, 64, said he recently tried newer models at a Best

Buy store but was unimpressed, noting they lack physical

page-turn buttons. "There's no reason for Amazon ( AMZN ) to be doing

this," said the Chicago resident, adding the buttons allow him

to read outdoors in cold weather without removing gloves.

Fans of older Kindles say the devices' durability and

physical buttons are unmatched by newer versions such as the

$180 Kindle Paperwhite, which they say drains battery life more

quickly with its backlit screen.

Many technology firms phase out older devices due to

security, cost and other factors, prompting users to upgrade. It

was not possible to determine how many devices are affected by

Amazon's ( AMZN ) move.

Amazon ( AMZN ) said it had supported the devices for 14 years or more

and could not continue doing so indefinitely. "Technology has

come a long way in that time," said a spokesperson.

While the company wasn't the first to produce e-readers, it

pushed them into the mainstream with the introduction of the

first Kindle in 2007. Today, Amazon ( AMZN ) commands 72% of the e-reader

market, according to research firm Business Research Insights,

though

Commentators on social media sites offer plenty of solutions

to keeping the devices useful for years to come. That includes

so-called jailbreaking, meaning removing software restrictions

to allow other software to be installed; and sideloading, a

means of adding books to the device from a computer, typically

through a USB cord.

Cathy Ryan, who repairs older Kindles for resale on eBay as a

hobby, expects the change to hurt her business. The 59-year-old

Vermont resident owns five Kindles and still uses a

second-generation device bought in 2009.

"I suppose nothing lasts forever, but I am just really

annoyed," said Ryan.

Cathy DeMail, 69, from The Villages, Florida, said she sees

an ulterior motive and has been trying to load her device with

books. "It's a shame I am getting railroaded into this," she

said, adding she will likely have to buy a newer touchscreen

model.

"I hate it, it's the principle of the thing that bothers

me."